Front wheel suspension for bicycles



Jan. 9, 1951 H. L. KRAEFT 2,537,679

FRONT WHEEL. SUSPENSION FOR BICYCLES Filed July 26, 1947 5 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 9, 1951 H. L. KRAEFT A 2,537,679

FRONT WHEEL SUSPENSION FOR BICYCLES Filed July 26, 1947 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. HERMAN 1.. KEAEFT A TTQQNEYJ Jan. 9, 1951 H. L. KRAEFT 2,537,679

FRONT WHEEL SUSPENSION FOR BICYCLES Filed July 26, 1947 1 Sheets-Sheet a Y INVENTOR.

f/[FMl/V L. K1645? F5 6 a zzmmz ATTORN'KS' Patented Jan. 9, 1951 FRONT WHEEL SUSPENSION FOR BICYCLES Herman L. Kraeft, Cleveland Heights, Ohio, as-

signor to The Murray-Ohio Manufacturing Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application July 26, 1947, Serial No. 763,929

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to an improved spring suspension structure for the front wheel of a bicycle or the like.

An object of the invention is to provide a spring suspension structure for the front wheel of a bicycle or the like which may be inexpensively manufactured and which will afford a neat appearance in keeping with the front wheel assembly of the bicycle.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred form of the invention, reference being made to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view in elevation of a bicycle showing the front wheel assembly;

Fig. 2 is a view taken on line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a front view in elevation of the front wheel structure, certain parts being broken away and certa n other parts being omitted;

Fig. 4 is a view in section taken substantially along line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a view taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary side View of a bicycle front wheel assemblv embodying another form of the invention; and

Fig. '7 is a fragmentary front view of the assembly shown in Fig. 6.

Referring now to Fi s. 1 to 5 of the drawings, the front portion of a conventional frame ll! of a bicycle is shown, which frame includes the usual steering post I! in which the stem l2 of a forked member I3 is iournalled. The forked member |3 includes a yoke portion I4 with two tines l5 and IE proiecting downwardly from the yoke and parallel to one another, and preferably they curve forwardly as shown in Fig. 1. The front wheel of the b cycle is mounted, indicated at W. between the tines of the forked member and handle bars, not shown. are attached to the upper end of the stem 2 for steering the wheel through the forked member. 1

A sheet metal stamping 2 is attached to the yoke I4 and it extends forwa-rdlv above the wheel. The stamping 20 is in the form of a shell inasmuch as it is provided with a longitudinal wall 2| having curved longitudinally extending side walls 22 and end walls 23 and 24, the side and end walls being continuous. One end of the member 20 has an opening 2! therein, through which the stem H of the forked member I3 extends and the end portion of the stamping surrounding the opening 21 is formed to closely embrace the upper surface and side surfaces of the yoke l4, for providing a substantial contact stamping to the yoke.

surface between the stamping and the yoke so that the stamping can be welded to the yoke throughout suflicient area to securely attach the Referring to Fig. 3, it will be seen that the sides 22 of the stamping 20 are contoured as at 28 to provide this substantial contact with the yoke. The stamping extends forwardly above the wheel of the bicycle and a circular platformed surface is formed at 30 on which a tension spring 3| is mounted. The tension spring is bolted at its lower end to the surface 30 by a bolt and nut 32.

An inverted U-shaped strut member is attached to the upper end of the spring 3| by a bracket 36 and. bolt and nut 3'!. The two legs of the member 35 extend downwardly and straddle the wheel and extend on the outsides of the tines l5 and N5 of the forked member E3. The lower ends of'the legs of the member 35 terminate slightly rearwardlv of the ends of the tines l5 and I6, respectively, and the leg and tine on one side of the wheel are interconnected by a link member 40 and the leg and tine on the opposite side are interconnected by a simi ar link member 4|. The links 411 and 4| are connected to the member 35 and the tines l5 and It by pivotal connections, so that the strut member 35 may move in a vertical direction relative to the tines l5 and It. The links 4!! and 4! are each provided with a slotted portion 42 for receiving the end portions of an axle 43 of the bicycle wheel. The axle 43 is secured to the links by nuts 44. As may be seen in Fig. 1, the front wheel may have vertical movement against the tension of spring 3|, such movement being indicated by broken lines. Thus, road shocks will be partially absorbed by the s ring uspension mechanism to greatly improve the riding quality of the bicycle.

The extending end of the stamping 2B is reinforced by a U-sh ped brace rod 46, the ends of which have a threaded neck 41 of reduced diameter which extends through two laterally projecting ears 48 formed on opposite sides of the stamping and nuts 49 are threaded on the mounted on the stem I2 and overlies the stamp-.

ing 50 to firmly retain the yoke of brace 46 in the channel of stamping 50. The stamping 5| is provided with a downwardly extending flange portion 52 which is slotted on opposite sides, as at 53, for receiving the brace rod 46. The stampings 56 and 5| are secured together by a collar nut 54 threaded on the stem 12, and: which presses the stampingsto a collar 550m the stem. The usual mud guard 51 is attached to the tines l5 and [6 of the forked member [3 by the brackets 58 in the usual manner andlthe upper portion of the guard is attached to the under side of the yoke M by a screw 60. It will be seen that themud guard will lie immediatelybeneath. thestamping 20. The stamping will thus be complementary in appearance to the mud guard and its appearance and function as a support for the spring 3| will not detract from the appearance of the bicycle and at the same time it provides, a sturdy and inexpensive mounting for th spring.

Another form of the i invention is embodied in the wheel-suspension shown in Figs; 6 and 7. In this form :of the invention, asheetmetal stamping Bil-is provided, which is similar to thest'amping 2 0, except that it is slightly shorter'and'it has no ears 'correspondingtoears 48; The stamping [2B is formed to be attached to the bicycle yoke i 4, in a manner similar'to that described with refereno'e'to-stamping 20. Likewise; reinforcing-side walls-"1'22 are provided; as-"well as a platform structure 30.

Two tension springs 13! and [-32, are attached to the'platform- I by boltsand nuts 33. The upper. ends of the springs areattached to the yoke member of an inverted:U-shapedsupport,which support includes-two substantially vertical parallel rods H and- I35,- whieh extend on opposite sides of'the front wheel, and a yoke bar [3! which interconnects the upper ends of the rods l35- and 1:36.- Shoulders are formedabout the upper ends of'these rods to supportyoke bar 131 and cap nuts 138- are threaded onto 'rodstohold the yoke bar in: place. The upper ends of the springs I31 and 4-32 are securedto the-yo-lrebar 83 1 by bolts and nuts 39. The lowerends-of rods [SS-and we are connected to-the floating ends oflinks 'M'lj-W-hich support the front wheel, as described with reference to=the structure shown in Figs. l to 5".

Preferably, a-brace HHis connected-at the lower ends-to the tines-wand the'upper'endds secured tothe steering postby a clamp l 52;

Although I have describedbut two forms'of the invention, it'willbe understood that other forms may be adopted, all falling within the scope of the claim which follows.

I claim:

A spring suspension structure for the front wheel of a bicycle, which bicycl includes a forked member having a stem extending from the yoke thereof and 'journalled in the front of the bicycle frame,- and between the tines of which member the front wheel is mounted, said structure comprising: a shell-like sheet metal stamping having "tured' -ears'formedion' opposite sides of the stamping and extending outwardly in opposite directions from the lower edge of said'flange; brace rods attached to: the stem above the stamping and. extending through the apertures'in said ears and terminating immediately below said ears, nuts on said brace rods below the ears for supporting'the'freefend of said stamping; a tension spring attached at its lower end to the platformedfsurfa'cei; aninverted U shaped strut straddling'theifront wheel of the bicycle and having 'its'yoke attach'edto the upper'end of said'spring;

a link' member'interconnecting the end of one tine of the forked member with the end of the U strut on one si'de of'the Wheel and asiinilar link memberinterconneeting the end of the other tine of said forkedmember with the other end of said strut, said links bingsubstantially parallel and having said front wheel mounted thereto.

HERMAN L. KRAEFT,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,101,614 Bramham June 30, 1914 1189;874 Schickef July 4, 1916 1,213,995 Anderson Jan. 30, 1917 1,254,798 Harley Jan. '29, 1918 115953419 Woller Aug. 10; 1926 

